Editor’s Note
Louis Vuitton reimagines its inaugural timepiece, the “Pebble Shape” watch from the 1980s, as the modern and luxurious limited-edition ‘Montere’ this autumn.
True to its “Pebble Shape” name, the case draws plump, rounded curves like a small stone, paired with a transparent, glossy enamel dial and classical details. Louis Vuitton’s first-ever watch, created in the late 1980s, has been updated to be more modern and luxurious, debuting this autumn as the limited edition ‘Louis Vuitton Montere’.
The ‘Louis Vuitton Montere’ features a gender-neutral 39mm case size. The original models, ‘LV I’ and ‘LV II’, were launched in 1988, a time of global exuberance. They are said to have made a spectacular debut as watches symbolizing the era, shocking the watch industry.
To create its first timepiece, Louis Vuitton, which was already collaborating with talented creators, chose Italian architect and designer Gae Aulenti as its partner. From the 1960s, she had created numerous original objects and had just completed the groundbreaking project of converting a Paris railway station into the Musée d’Orsay.
This pioneering creator gave birth to the avant-garde ‘LV I’ and ‘LV II’, which elegantly overturned the design concepts of watches at the time.
The ‘LV I’ expressed the Maison’s core “Spirit of Travel” through a minute track reminiscent of railway tracks (called “Railway Minutes Track”), a GMT function displaying the time in two cities, and a world time function. The subsequently released ‘LV II’ adopted a groundbreaking ceramic material with excellent scratch resistance and featured, in addition to date and time displays, an alarm function. While ceramic watches are commonplace today, they were highly innovative at the time, reportedly causing a sensation.
The limited edition ‘Louis Vuitton Montere’ features a modern reinterpretation of the original models’ bold form and minimal expression.
The crown at 12 o’clock is finished with delicate “Cœur de Paris” polishing, pursuing not only beauty but also a pleasant touch and comfort.
From the iconic shining case to the dial and, of course, the movement, everything is crafted by hand within the Maison’s watchmaking workshop, ‘La Fabrique du Temps Louis Vuitton’.
Particularly noteworthy is the beauty of the dial’s “Grand Feu Enamel”! Among enamels, “Grand Feu Enamel” possesses a unique luster, brilliance, and transparency, representing the very crystallization of craftsmanship requiring highly advanced technical skill and many processes. Approximately 20 hours are spent on the production of this dial.
The in-house movement “LFT MA01.02” incorporates design codes symbolic of the Maison, such as a rose gold rotor with a V-shaped cut reminiscent of the Monogram.
Although the movement is beautifully finished down to the smallest detail, this model’s caseback is closed, not made of sapphire crystal. This means that such craftsmanship and passion are poured into parts not normally visible.
That caseback is engraved with the limited edition number, “1 of 188”.
The strap follows the original model, adopting a “Quick Release Strap System” for easy changing.
As stated by the head of the Maison’s watch division, by incorporating modernity while respecting the past, the ‘Louis Vuitton Montere’ possesses both timeless universality and a future-oriented spirit.
Another masterpiece has been born, a testament to the craftsmanship passed down over the years and embodying the tradition of Savoir-Faire reinterpreted for the modern era.
‘Louis Vuitton Montere’ ¥8,503,000 (tax included) ● Case: Yellow Gold ● Case Diameter: 39mm ● Strap: Calf ● Movement: Automatic